Bitter Mercy

I braced myself, muscles coiled tight, waiting for the blow.

Matteo straightened slowly, sliding his phone into his perfectly tailored pocket. The gesture is calm. Precise. Devastating.

Then his eyes locked onto mine.

"Okay." A pause. "So this is what is going to happen."

I swallowed, waiting for whatever came next.

“As much as I want to take you out of this house kicking and screaming and